Ryan Reaves’ Role Important to Maple Leafs’ Success

Reaves topped off his game with three hits, a minor for roughing and a blocked shot in just over nine minutes of ice time, a solid return to the lineup for the regular fourth liner. While questions after the game focused on his offence in his return, Reaves doubled down on the fact that he’s healthy, focused and ready to help the Maple Leafs down the stretch — only after a restful All-Star Weekend, of course.

Maple Leafs’ Reaves Happy With His Return

While the questions seemed to focus on his goal — his second of the season — Reaves did discuss how frustrating it was being on the sidelines and watching while wanting to be out there with his team during his recovery from injury.

“Honestly, treated it like a mini training camp,” he said about working his way back into the lineup. “When the knee was healed up, you know, making sure I wasn’t too frustrated not being in the lineup with the injury. But just making sure I was working hard every day. Not being distracting for the boys, having fun with them and enjoying the time on the road with them when I could. I think I used it appropriately.”

It was fitting for Reaves to make his return in Winnipeg where he was born, and it was clear that he was playing with a little more jump in his game. Considering how his season started out with the Maple Leafs, it was arguably one of his best games in blue and white and a game that will surely get him another go when the Maple Leafs hit the ice again on Feb. 5 to take on the New York Islanders.

More importantly, however, is the fact that Reaves was happy with his game — a confidence boost that could go a long way for the long-time enforcer.

“I don’t even know if it necessarily was just the goal,” he said. “I liked where my game was at today. I thought our line got on the forecheck well and handled the d-zone, except that last shift. I thought the game was where I wanted it to be, especially for a first one back. So, yeah I hope to build on it.”

If he’s able to, in fact, build on it, Reaves could be a sort of midseason addition for the Maple Leafs. But it will take him finding a way to remain relevant in a lineup that has seemingly found some consistency as of late.

Reaves Can Find a Way to Remain in Maple Leafs’ Lineup

He’s an NHL veteran with 850 career regular season games. He’s found a way over his career to remain relevant in some pretty good lineups — including the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild.

While the Maple Leafs have skilled forwards and have lacked offensive consistency at times this season, what they will miss come playoff time is a player that is willing to go to bat for their stars the way that Reaves has done this season in his 22 games played.

He’s not a player that will add too much offence, but as we saw on Saturday he can have some soft hands around the net from time to time. That said, he does add the intangibles and the fear factor that the Maple Leafs haven’t had on a regular basis in their lineup and if he can play the way he did against the Jets, he could be a contributing role player for them moving forward.

On top of that, as was the case against the Jets, his play can deliver more minutes for him under Sheldon Keefe. He played just over nine minutes in a season where he’s averaged 7:26 in 22 games. His career average is just under nine minutes, but he was awarded more time based on his play. While the team doesn’t necessarily need him to eat up minutes, the fear factor that comes with having him in the lineup creates another element to the team’s game.

Reaves Has All-Star Plans for All-Star Weekend

So with one game back in the lineup, the Maple Leafs are done until after the NHL’s All-Star Weekend which the team is hosting at Scotiabank Arena and while Reaves would be a walking soundbite for the NHL with media from across the league in town, his plans are much more relaxing as he gets set for the homestretch of the season.

“I’m going to go work on my tan,” said Reaves when asked what he has planned for the break. “I’m getting a little pasty over here so we’re going to get in the sun for a bit.”

The one-game return might’ve been just what he needed before the break, but the rest for the next week should be beneficial for the 37-year-old. After all, the Maple Leafs surely want to have him in the lineup when his cap hit is $1.35 million for the next three seasons.